Tag: Lord Ayyappa

Not only does the Kerala government want to deliberately hurt the majority community (Hindus) sentiment by violating 2,000 year old traditions of the Ayyappa Swami temple, BUT IT IS CALLING ALL PROTESTORS TERRORISTS … REALLY.

Nearly 5 Crore of ordinary and everyday Keralites – of all ages, from all castes and walks of live have taken time out of their busy days to spontaneously protest both the Supreme Court controversial ruling to allow women of all ages into the temple, and the Kerala government’s rush to implement this.

BUT …. THE KERALA GOVERNMENT SAYS YOU ARE A TERRORIST…LIKE ISIS, KILLERS AND THE LIKE ==> BECAUSE YOU WANT TO PROTECT 2,000 YEAR OLD TRADITIONS. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT ?

Supreme Court’s controversial ruling allowing entry of women of All Ages into Lord Ayyappa temple has met with immense sadness, anger and protests by lakhs and crores of devotees (specially led by women of all ages) in Kerala and all over India. This logic of this ruling is being questioned and appealed.

One activist – Rehana Fathima, per news reports had told friends that she was carrying blood soaked used sanitary napkins in her “Irumudi” or the basket one carries on one’s head. And she was planning to throw this at Lord Ayyappa itself at his sanctum sanctorum?

REALLY… WOULD YOU TAKE BLOOD SOAKED USED SANITARY NAPKINS TO A FRIEND’S HOUSE, LET ALONE A TEMPLE, AND THAT TOO SABARIMALA WHERE THE DEITY IS AN ETERNAL BRAHMACHARI?

After the highly controversial and some might say hasty Supreme Court verdict, Kerala IGP S Sreejith stated possibly under pressure from their bosses, the Kerala Communist Government, that “the police will do their duty at any cost and will do everything possible to implement the Supreme Court verdict.”The IG Police and the police force has come under heavy criticism. This officer and his crew were seen escorting women of other faiths into the temple complex (but luckily no one to gain entry) and was even seen giving his police uniform and helmet, which is against service rules.

Now it is being reported that IG Police S. Sreejith who is also a Ayyappa devotee, WHICH MEANS HE ABIDES BY LORD AYYAPPA’S WISHES ON ENTRY RESTRICTIONS, entered the temple as civilian (and not as a police officer) was seen weeping while offering prayers at the sanctum sanatorium of the temple.

It is no doubt a difficult choice, but common sense would tell you that a 1,000 year tradition should get more respect than a hasty Supreme Court decision which may eventually get overturned and if not, a law may be passed to allow devotees in a way that respects the Lord!

The Supreme Court by passing the judgement on 24th September 2018 overturned the nearly 1,000 years of Lord Ayyappa Swami temple’s traditions which restricted the entry of women devotees of “menstrual age groups”.

The judgement has shattered the hopes and dreams of millions of devotees worldover. Some say even though the judgment refers to the Indian constitution – it is lacking in basic common sense. There are millions of “Hindu” temples in India and only a handful have restrictions on devotees – some ban males, some females and some for other reasons due to reasons are laid out in the religious scriptures.

Despite this, in Supreme Court ruling in a majority judgement overruled the ban on ONE TEMPLE on account of equality, gender discrimination and equating it to the banning of untouchability. This judgement has come even though the vast majority of affected women are more than happy to wait out their turn.

All of us should keep certain critical things in mind: * THE TEMPLE IS NOT A PUBLIC PLACE like a bus stand: A temple is the abode of the devata who has been invoked through the rituals during the temple’s initiation. At Sabarimala, Lord Ayyappa’s abode, it is his writ that runs whether it pleases one or not. And if you not a believer – you have no business being concerned about the Lord and his wishes. * NO ONE HAS ANY RIGHTS IN A TEMPLE – such ideas do not exist and you serve at the pleasure of the deity of what he wants and how wants it. * HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE LORD OR DEVATA WANTS? Each temple is guided by the “Agamas” or book of rituals which defines the functioning of each temple and who and how to pray to the deity. While great damage has been done by the SC judgment and the haste by which the Kerala government wants to implement it or shall we say break traditions, let us hope for good sense by all to go back to following the age old traditions and rituals which gives us great diversity.

Lord Ayyappa rules the Sabarimala (mala means hills and mountains) is a Brahmachari and celibate. For tens and thousands of years, per the Lord and temple’s tantric & religious traditions, girls & women under 10 years and over 50 years could visit the temple and get close to the Lord but not those between the age of 10 to 50 as they are in the age when they have menstrual cycles.

A large number of women were willing to wait out till they reached the eligible age to visit the temple, however several other women were understandably upset about the temple’s age restrictions on women only. Added to this, as in most things in India, there were a group of “publicity seeking activists” and a floating group who joined together to challenge and strike the temple’s centuries old traditions.

it is always a sad day when age old temple traditions are challenged in a modern court of law. Despite this, the Supreme Court, after multiple hearing from varied stakeholders including the temple priests and caretakers, right concluded that the Lord Ayyappa wishes and the restrictive Temple traditions must be respected and cannot be overruled. We only hope such challenges are not even allowed in the future, and hope the Lord would forgive those who seek to challenge its wishes…